Young People for peace and activism

“Young People for peace and activism”, held on the 30th of may was the closing panel of FemArt.

Stina Manguson-Bluur from Sweden, together with Nita Zogiani moderated the discussion, part of which were Vladimir Filić – KS, Hanumshahe Dalipi – KS and Fjolla Vukshinaj.

The discussion consisted of the role of the organization “Kvinna till Kvinna” and the role of youth in peacekeeping.

Stina Manguson- Bluur said that she initially began to work with organizations in Sweden, where all of the youngsters worked together to make a change despite the titles and other attributes.

“Someone called us separatists for the fact that we were a youth organization with specific needs but in our work we had involved many young people from other countries, including the Western Balkans. At the end of my engagements in the organization I became a leader at the age of 25 “.

She advised that young people and their agendas should serve as part of the common cause.

Nita Zogiani says that despite the prejudices that exist between the Serbian and Albanian communities, there are still things that unite us. They have understood this in the Women’s Peace Academy, the Feminist School and the Alternative Girls’ Center.

“As women, we are joined by the common the goal of creating a society that cultivates gender equality, eliminating violence against women and sexual harassment,” she says.

She further adds that “Kvinna till Kvinna” has given room for networking and acquaintance with the experiences of other women activists.

She says that there they found a safe and efficient platform for addressing their needs.

Hanumshahe Dalipi talked about her challenges as a daughter of the Ashkali community who occasionally faced discrimination.

The boost for activism that began at the age of 16, she says, was a training on the subject of “Gender Equality and Early Marriages”. This had caused her to reflect on the situation and the desire to make a change.

“Seeing other women and girls, I realized that we should not look at ourselves as a sexual object, as inferior or a housewife. I understood the needs of my community more closely and also realized that personal contribution, however small, is important to ensure, among other things, peace with oneself,” said Hanumsha.

The discussion continued with Fjolla Vukshinaj, who spoke more about how to be a daily activist.

“I am a girl from Prizren, raised with nationalism and patriarchy, and engagement with activism has made me realize that we do not all think the same. However, the story of travelling to Belgrade for activism was a problem for me to present to my fellow students and friends, but in the end I broke the walls, “said Vukshinaj.